By Susan Shekut, MA, Clinical Professional Psychology, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer
Undergoing cancer treatment is stressful. Trying to take care of your housecleaning adds to that stress. Cleaning For a Reason offers free house cleaning services to women, 19 years or older, undergoing treatment for cancer (any type of cancer) in the United States and Canada.
Incorporated in Texas in 2006 as a not-for-profit foundation, Cleaning for a Reason has provided more than 17,000 cleanings nationally for women, with a value of more than $4,500,000 with the help of over 1,100 participating maid services who volunteer their time to clean.
How Does The Service Work?
Cleaning for a Reason partners with professional residential maid services (who are insured or insured or bonded and perform background checks on their employees) to participate in our foundation. The partner companies take 2 patients at a time and offer each patient 4 free cleanings, one a month for 4 consecutive months as a way to give back to their community. Patient applications are accepted online. Once Cleaning for a Reason staff receive a patient’s physician’s verification of treatment, they match the patients with a maid service partner. Patients can schedule cleaning services through the partner maid service while they are undergoing treatment or at a time that is convenient for them. FAQ page here.
How Do Patients Sign Up For the Services?
Patients Can Sign Up Here by filling out a short online application. Do not contact the cleaning service directly.
How Can I Help?
Cleaning For a Reason cleaning services are not done by volunteers. However, the foundation does need donations and volunteers in other capacities for fundraising and office work in local partner offices. Donations are always needed and appreciated as well as being tax-deductible. Click here to donate to Cleaning For a Reason. If you are able to Donate $1000 or more, become a sponsor by clicking here.
How Did Cleaning For a Reason Get Started?
From their website: Cleaning for a Reason was the brainchild of President and Founder, Debbie Sardone, owner of Buckets & Bows Maid Service, Lewisville, TX.
Debbie Sardone, President/Founder of Cleaning For a Reason
Debbie took a phone call from a prospective client several years ago. After providing the woman a price quote, the prospect paused before saying, “I won’t be able to afford that now; I’m undergoing cancer treatment” and hung up. Debbie hadn’t gotten the woman’s phone number and was unable to call back to make arrangements. In that instant, Debbie decided that no woman undergoing cancer treatment would ever be turned down by her business. In fact, they would be given free housecleaning service.
Calling her staff, Debbie announced the new policy, which the company has used over and over, through the years. In 2005, Debbie shared her story with other maid services at a national cleaning industry convention. She shared her conviction that it was these women, undergoing the physical, emotional; and financial rigors of cancer treatment, who needed professional housecleaning services the most. An onslaught of cleaning business owners began expressing their interest and support. When she returned to Texas, Debbie registered Cleaning For A Reason as a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation. With word of this at the next convention, maid services began signing up to donate their services on the spot.
Why Not Offer Cleaning Services to Men or People With Other Illnesses
While Debbie and the foundation would like to help everyone, they realized they do not have the resources to offer their services to a wide range of people with a variety of illnesses. The team at Cleaning for a Reason wants to remain focused on their primary mission. However, others are free to start free cleaning or helping services with their own foundation. Debbie and Cleaning For a Reason is a great role model for how to go about creating such a service!
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